Chris Burkes' parents were told their Downs Syndrome son was a lost cause. They were advised to put him in an institution and forget about him. Instead they took him home to cherish and educate.

He grew up to be a successful actor and singer. 'Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal', he says. 'Always say to yourself, "Yes I can." Believe in yourself, work hard, never give up!'

by Vida Adamoli

In 1968, in an article published in The Atlantic Monthly, a respected theologian by the name of Joseph Fletcher advocated euthanasia for all infants born with Down’s syndrome. His argument that people with Down’s syndrome could never achieve a ‘meaningful quality of life’ reflected the prevalent view of the time. They were, as he said, ’unintelligent, incapacitated and incapable of social function’.

When Chris was born in 1965 his parents were advised to put him in an institution. Instead he was taken home and treated as a normal child. Nurtured by a loving family, with older siblings teaching him counting, colours and words, the little boy thrived. In those days children with disabilities weren’t accepted into mainstream New York schools. After much searching the Burkes eventually found a special boarding school where Chris was able to develop his talents.

Pupils ranged from the nonverbal, non-responsive to the high functioning. Chris, who scored just above medium, stood out for his gregarious nature and practical skills. He discovered a love of acting and was encouraged by teachers to write and perform little skits. As he got older Chris's obsession with acting grew, a worry to family and friends who doubted that anyone with Down’s syndrome could make acting a career. But Chris wouldn’t be put off. He clung to his dream.

With dogged determination Chris took drama night classes. He also went to auditions, wrote scripts and read relevant books. He got his first TV acting job in the ABC movie Desperate, which ended up not being produced. ABC executives were so impressed by his performance, however, that in 1988 they created Life Goes On, a series about a working class family and their struggles raising a Down’s syndrome child. This was Chris’s big break. His character, Charles ‘Corky’ Thatcher, garnered millions of fans and made Chris the first Down’s syndrome actor to become a star. Life Goes On was syndicated in 30 countries and ran until 1993.
 
 The Burke family, stunned by the enormity of Chris's fame, struggled to keep up with the avalanche of fan mail that poured in from the first show. Teenage girls with Down’s syndrome now had their very own heartthrob. Chris was even invited by president Bush senior to the White House, where he gave an address urging appreciation of the abilities of people with Down’s syndrome. He became a disabilities ‘poster boy’, taking his message to universities and conferences. Standing up as an articulate teenager with feelings and goals, he challenged not only prejudice but ignorance, too.

In 1989 Chris was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. That same year he won the Best Television Actor award from the Academy of Family Films and Family Television, as well as the Inspiration to Youth Award from Youth in Film. In 1990 he won the St. Genesius Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Entertainment Business. He was also recognized by the Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of ten outstanding young Americans between the ages of 21 and 39.

Today Chris Burke is the goodwill ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society and serves as the editor-in-chief of its quarterly magazine, Straight Talk. He is a spokesperson for National Down Syndrome Congress. His 1992 autobiography, A Special Kind of Hero, was a New York Times Best-Seller.  He also performs with a 3-piece folk band with his twin friends, Joe and John DeMasi, who were his music counsellors at a camp for persons with disabilities. The trio takes its message of love, inclusion and celebration to the concerts, schools, festivals, conferences and conventions they perform at each year. Here they are performing their hit song Celebrate.